*
The sound of an urgent knock echoed through the silence of the house, cutting through the heavy tension that had been building since the earlier conversation. *Knock. Knock. Knock.*
Elvira froze, her heart pounding in her chest. What was happening now? Her mind scrambled for answers. Who could be knocking at this hour? Was it… them?
"Answer the door!" her stepmother barked, rising from her seat with a cold, calculating expression.
Her stepfather followed her, not even looking up from his phone. "It's time."
*No... it can't be time.* Elvira's stomach twisted. The figure that had been sent for her was finally here. Her worst nightmare was unfolding faster than she could process.
Her stepmother strode toward the door without a second glance. The knock came again, louder this time. She opened the door, revealing a tall, intimidating figure standing on the threshold. The person was dressed entirely in black, their presence as chilling as the night air outside.
"I'm here for Elvira Blaze," the person said, their voice low but firm. "You were informed she would be leaving tonight."
Elvira's breath caught in her throat. This wasn't happening. Not like this.
Her stepmother's cold smile stretched. "Ah, yes, of course. We've packed everything."
Her stepfather, still not looking up from his phone, barely acknowledged the scene. "Get her out of here."
Elvira's chest tightened. "Wait… No, I can't go tonight. I… I need more time. I need—"
Before she could finish, her stepmother's voice rang out, sharp and impatient. "Enough! Don't argue. You've been chosen. You don't have a choice. You're going."
Her heart sank. She tried to turn away, but before she could retreat into the comfort of her room, her step-siblings appeared in the doorway, grinning mockingly.
Her stepsister, Lila, leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "So, the little orphan is finally leaving, huh?" she said with a smirk. "I'm sure you'll have *loads* of fun at that creepy school. I can't wait to see how you survive there."
Her stepbrother,Jaxon , chimed in, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, and make sure you don't come back a *freak*, okay? We don't want to have to explain to people why you've turned into some monster with crazy powers. Have fun, loser."
The cruel words stung more than they should have, but Elvira forced herself not to show any weakness. She had learned long ago not to expect kindness from her family, but today… today felt different. As her step-siblings mocked her, she couldn't help but feel the weight of their superiority.
*Why can't I be like them?* she thought bitterly. *Why can't I have their powers, their charm, their place in this family?*
Camille and Luke were the perfect children in the eyes of their parents. Camille had the ability to control nature, an impressive power that made her the center of attention wherever she went. Luke, on the other hand, could manipulate shadows—his powers were subtle, but deadly, and it earned him admiration from everyone, including their stepfather and stepmother. Elvira couldn't help but compare herself to them, feeling small in their shadow.
*Mother and Father love them so much. Their powers are not even that outrageous, and they still get everything they want…*
She clenched her fists, pushing back the feelings of resentment. She knew it was foolish to even think about it. She had always been the "failure" of the family. The powerless one.
Her stepmother, noticing her hesitation, snapped her back to reality. "Stop staring off into space. Pack your things and get going. We've already done enough for you. The least you can do is follow through."
Elvira didn't respond. She knew it was pointless to argue, to beg. They had already made their decision.
The figure in black stepped forward, their presence cold and unyielding. "It's time," they said simply, voice final.
Elvira turned back toward her room, her legs weak with shock. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't *comprehend* that this was happening. She walked into her room, still expecting to find it as she had left it, filled with the remnants of her life, her belongings… her *comfort*.
But when she opened the door, the room was empty. The walls, once covered in posters and trinkets, were now barren. Her bed was stripped, her clothes and books packed away in a suitcase.
Her breath caught. *No… no, this can't be real. Not now, not like this.*
Her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the floor, tears filling her eyes as the weight of it all hit her. She cried for everything she'd lost. She cried for her father who was gone, for a mother who had never been there for her. She cried for the life she once dreamed of, a life she would never have.
*Why did my mother and my father leave me like this? Why? Why does everyone abandon me?*
Her sobs filled the empty room, and for a moment, Elvira let herself fall apart.
But then, the voices of her stepmother and stepfather reached her from the living room. Their cold indifference, their cruel expectations, pulled her back to reality.
"Elvira, stop whining," her stepmother called from outside the room. "It's done. We've made the arrangements. You're leaving now."
Elvira wiped her tears quickly, standing up, though she felt empty inside. Her stepmother's voice followed, harsher now. "We never wanted you here. You're just a burden. Now go. It's time you understand your place."
Her stepfather's voice rang out, flat and uncaring. "You're nothing to us. You're not even part of this family. Don't come back here. Ever."
Elvira's heart shattered as she turned toward the door, knowing there was no point in arguing. No point in pleading. They were right. She wasn't family. She never had been.
The figure in black was still standing silently by the door, waiting. Their presence was chilling, like the final piece of her past had been wiped away, and now she was left with nothing.
She walked past her stepmother, her stepfather, and her mocking step-siblings, who watched her with cruel amusement. She didn't say a word. There was nothing left to say.
The black-clad figure led her out of the house, their cold eyes watching her every move.
Outside, a sleek black car was waiting, its engine running. The driver, wearing the same dark attire, opened the door for her. Elvira's body moved on autopilot as she climbed inside.
The figure in black slid into the seat next to her. Their eyes were unreadable, but their words sent a shiver down her spine.
"Your life as you know it is over. Mystic Crest awaits you, Elvira Blaze. And there is no turning back."
Elvira swallowed hard, her throat dry. She couldn't even answer. She didn't have the words.
As the car sped into the night, she stared out of the window, knowing that nothing—*nothing*—would ever be the same again.
The car turned down a dark street, the lights of the city growing distant in the rearview mirror. Elvira's heart raced. She didn't know where she was going, or what awaited her. But she knew one thing for certain: *Mystic Crest* wasn't just some school. It was a place where everything could change—or where it could all end.